Pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide is produced by means of high-temperature hydrolysis of a volatile titanium compound, as a rule titanium tetrachloride, in an oxyhydrogen flame. This method is described in German patent 870,242 (1953). The products, which exhibit primarily anatase structure, are hydrophilic, very pure and extremely fine. The primary particles (DIN 53 206) exhibit a spherical form in electron micrographs and diameters of 10-100 nm. A commercially available product exhibits an average primary-particle size of 30 nm. Defined agglomerates (according to DIN 53 206) do not exist. The surface of the particles is smooth and free of pores. There is only an outer, readily accessible surface. The BET specific surface can be between 20 and 100 m.sup.2 /g, depending on production conditions. The commercial product mentioned exhibits a specific surface of 50.+-.15 m.sup.2 /g.
It is known that powdery, pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide can be used as a titanium-dioxide component or as carrier material in powdery catalytic systems because of its high purity, high specific surface and the lack of pores. (V. Rives-Arnau, G. Munuera, Appl. Surface Sci. 6 (1980) p. 122; N. K. Nag, T. Fransen, P. Mars, J. Cat. 68; 77 (1981); F. Solymcsi, A. Erdohelyi, M. Kocsis, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans 1, 77, 1003 (1981); D. G. Mustard, C. H. Bartholomew, J. Cat. 67, 186 (1981); M. A. Vannice, R. L. Garten, J. Cat. 63, 255 (1980), M. A. Vannice, R. L. Garten, J. Cat. 66, 242 (1980).
If pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide is to be used on an industrial scale in catalytic systems, it is advantageous to convert the powdery product into shaped articles.
Since pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide is especially fine, it is difficult to form it into shaped articles useful as catalytic carriers.
Published German Patent Application DE-OS 31 32 674 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,642) teaches a method of producing compacts from pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide in which silica sol is used as binder. Ethanediol, glycerol, erythritols, pentitols or hexitols are used as an auxiliary pressing agent. This method has the disadvantage that an undesirable "covering" occurs in the compacts during large-scale production, that is, an upper layer re-separates from the compacts.
Furthermore, the shaped articles contain, in addition to TiO.sub.2, considerable amounts of SiO.sub.2, which arises from the binder and influences the catalytic effectiveness.
Published German Patent Application DE-OS 32 17 751 teaches the pressing of pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide in which organic acids or acidicly reacting salts are used as intermediate binder. This method has the disadvantage that the surface nature of the pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide is altered by means of the treatment with organic acids or acidicly reacting salts.
Published German Patent Application DE-OS 38 03 894 teaches a method for the production of titanium dioxide compacts in which pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide and a pore former such as e.g. urea and with water is additionally mixed with a binder such as e.g. kaoline and with an auxiliary tabletting agent such as e.g. wax and is compacted, the mass obtained is dried and comminuted to a powder, the powder pressed to compacts and the compacts obtained are tempered.
The known methods have the important disadvantage that a binder must be used which remains in the compact. This alters the catalytic action of the very pure, pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide.
Old Series German Patent application P 39 13 983 teaches a method of producing titanium dioxide compacts in which pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide is mixed with urea, graphite and water, compacted, the mass obtained dried if necessary at 80.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. and comminuted, then extruded or tabletted and the compacts obtained are tempered at a temperature of 710.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. for a period of 0.5 to 6 hours.
The titanium dioxide compacts obtained exhibit a grey coloration because of the graphite used during the process, which indicates an incomplete removal of the graphite during the tempering. The remaining amount of graphite can impair the catalytic action considerably.
There is thus an unsolved problem of producing titanium dioxide compacts from pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide which is free of binders and residual graphite content. The desired product would have a high degree of whiteness.